Winsted-Lester Prairie Journal, July 24, 2000

Jaster pleaded guilty to murder prior to retrial

Douglas Leon Jaster, 41, of Hutchinson, pleaded guilty
to murder before the case made it to re-trial on July 11. He was being re-tried
on the murder of Michael Toovey in 1998.

As a result of pleading guilty, Jaster was sentenced to
10 years in prison, which was a reduction from the 20 years he was originaly
sentenced.

Toovey was found dead in his home at 510 E. Highway 7 by
the Hutchinson Police Department in February 1998. He had died from multiple
blunt-force trauma, and appeared to have been severely beaten.

According to Mike Junge, McLeod County attorney, Jaster
pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while committing a felony
and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Jaster was found guilty by a McLeod County jury of second-degree
murder while committing a felony and one felony count of second-degree assault
in November, 1998. In January 1999, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

According to court documents, Jaster appealed his case
on the grounds that there was an error in the instructions given to the
jury and prosecutorial misconduct. The appellate court of the state of Minnesota
reversed the conviction, and Jaster was to have a retrial on July 11.

"The prior sentence was an upward departure of the
presumptive sentence of 159 to 171 months," said Junge.

Junge said there was a need for finality with the case,
both as a prosecutor and for Toovey's daughter. Since Jaster pleaded guilty,
the chances are remote that he would be granted another appeal.

"Generally, the court looks upon a plea as final,"
said Junge.

Jaster used the Alford plea, which means he pleaded guilty
but did not admit that he actually committed the murder.

Junge said there were other factors involved in the plea
negotiation with Jaster. He said the passage of time, which makes recall
of the incident harder for witnesses, and the medical condition of one of
the witnesses played a part in the negotiations.

Also, the slight possibility that Jaster may have ended
up back on the street.